Fact-check: iPhones floating in the Strait of Hormuz – are viral videos real?
Hundreds of iPhones bobbing in the sea, luxury perfume bottles drifting past shipping containers and people in small boats collecting valuable goods — extraordinary scenes have gone viral following a shipwreck near the Strait of Hormuz. But how much of the footage is real? Apple’s iPhone 18 smartphones are reportedly being advertised in Tehran at unusually low prices as “war booty”, with sellers…
A shipwreck near the Strait of Hormuz has sparked viral videos showcasing iPhones, luxury perfume bottles and other goods bobbing in the sea. However, the authenticity of these scenes remains questionable. Apple's iPhones were reportedly advertised at unusually low prices in Tehran as "war booty" after being recovered from a sunken cargo ship, according to Iran International.
The controversy began following the sinking of the Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride on October 14. Independent fact-checkers have raised doubts on the veracity of the viral videos and images showing people retrieving iPhones from the sea. Factnameh, a fact-checking organization, identified AI-generated images and videos containing visual clues such as phones moving unnaturally, distorted writing on boxes, and inconsistent packaging.
The footage contained elements that cast doubt on their authenticity. BBC Verify also reported on AI-generated footage, pointing out that some images may have been based on genuine footage of the damaged vessel, making it challenging to distinguish fabricated scenes from real events. While some circulating footage may have genuine elements, it is crucial to note that the presence of containers drifting off Musandam Governorate does not necessarily confirm the viral iPhone videos are authentic.
Iranians claim to have recovered iPhones from the Strait of Hormuz, but the claims have not been independently verified. The sinking of the GFS Pride is confirmed, but the cause of the incident remains disputed. Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority stated that the vessel suffered damage and caught fire before sinking, while Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that the ship struck a naval mine while navigating an unauthorized route through the Strait.
Singapore's maritime authority suggested the ship was hit by an unidentified projectile. Although containers and cargo have been scattered across the water, the ship's cargo manifest has not been independently verified.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
